A Contentious Divorce Often Follows a Contentious Marriage

Many people who have found themselves in a highly contentious or even
abusive marriage should prepare themselves for the likely reality of a contentious divorce.

If you have a highly contentious marriage, divorce can follow suit. Rather
than avoiding the issue, it is best to prepare for the reality of a contested
divorce, and if the divorce ends up being uncontested, all the better.

Make the first move –
If you know your marriage is headed in the direction of divorce, it may
be best to initiate the process before your spouse does. If you have a
highly contentious spouse and they file first, this could put them in
a position of control, because usually, people who make the first move
usually already have their ducks in a row, while the respondent is caught
off guard.

Get your assets and debts in order –
If you haven’t done so already, compile a list of all your assets
and debts. Include documentation that would be helpful for an attorney
to have. A contentious divorce usually means contested property and asset
division. The more you know about your assets, the better you can protect them.

Find an attorney you trust –
We cannot stress the importance of this enough. You need an attorney who
will stick with you through thick and thin, always keeping your best interests
in mind. If you don’t trust your attorney, get out of that professional
relationship as soon as possible.

Be detailed and organized –
In contested divorces, you can’t afford to be unorganized about
anything. One missed detail could make or break your case. Stay in close
communication with your attorney and document everything. If you are ever
unsure of whether or not you should include something or take note of
something, it’s better to be safe than sorry you didn’t.

Leave your emotions out of major decisions –
As emotional as divorce can be, especially when contentious, it’s
best to leave your emotions out of major decisions. Adding the fuel of
emotions to the already blazing fire of contested divorce can make for disaster.

If you and your spouse are headed toward divorce, we invite you to
contact us today for a confidential evaluation of your case to see how the Tampa family
lawyers at Givens Givens Sparks could help.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.